Into the Darkness

“Alex, baby!” She slurred her words as she spoke. “They won’t let me in. Tell them I’m with you.”

“Like fuck I will. What are you doing here anyway?” I tried to calm my voice because the last thing I wanted was an altercation between Sammy and Charlotte.

“Oh, Alex, you know, I needed an escape. I need you.” She started to break down. I didn’t need this soap opera bullshit.

“First of all, my name is Lex. Second of all, this isn’t the time or place to bring out the waterworks. Go back to your hotel or wherever you came from and get some rest. I am not allowing you in the club.” I walked away, hearing her voice echoing my name. Fuck, I needed to keep Charlotte in the club. Under no circumstances could I let her see Samantha or she would assume the worst.

“She’s on the dance floor with Eric.”

I turned to look at the person beside me; it was Charlotte’s friend, Emma. “Thanks. Emma, right?” I asked. She nodded and walked away with some young guy.

I walked through the crowd, making my way to where she was dancing. Her back was facing me. I couldn’t resist, and I needed to feel her body pressed against mine. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her into me. As Usher played, I sung the lyrics into her ear. I knew she was relaxed as I felt her body loosen and eventually she reached her arm back and pulled me closer. That was my cue, and I knew she wanted it as well.

I grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the dance floor. I led her into the kitchen, taking her immediately against the refrigerator. Finally I was going to be inside her again. I lost all sense of control with her, kissing every part of her, finally taking her nipples in my mouth. I tugged on them with my teeth. Hearing her moan went straigh

t to my dick, which only made me take her harder. My cock was throbbing. I desperately needed this release, and I needed to feel her tight little pussy wrapped around my cock, but first I needed to feel it with my own hands. I thrust my fingers into her, she was soaked. I knew I was rough, but fuck, I was ready to explode and her body was screaming at me to make her cum and I needed to taste it, the taste of her pussy drenched all over my fingers, still exactly how I remembered. The best fucking taste on Earth.

A creaking noise startled us both and we pulled away from each other. It was our cleaner. He apologized for the interruption and I allowed him to continue. She had already begun walking away from me and I didn’t hesitate to warn her that this wasn’t over as I pinned her against the wall. I didn’t get the release I was after and my cock ached. The dress was still driving me insane, and I dropped my guard. I showed my weakness. This situation between us I had no control over, and I told her. Her response sent me into a tailspin.

“Nothing you haven’t wanted since the moment we saw each other at the restaurant,” she murmured. I pulled away, looking directly in her eyes.

I told her she was wrong, that I have wanted her since the last time I saw her on the cliff top, back home. That my life had been full of nothing but regret. Every decision I thought was right led me to a lonely dead end. Only after I left Samantha did I start picking up the pieces. I made the decision that Charlotte was better off without me after being told she’d moved on. I buried myself in my work, building my empire, never taking a moment to feel the regret that constantly lingered, and here she stood in front of me telling me that what just happened was nothing but lust and curiosity – don’t read more into this. How the fuck could she think that way? Of course I was reading more into this, she was my fucking life! I fucked up so many times and now I just needed that final chance to make things right. She left me standing there, telling me that if we had fucked it would have been a big mistake.

I leaned against the wall, the lack of her presence leaving a huge ache inside me. I needed to let her go, just for tonight. Maybe I was pushing her but I didn’t know what else to do.

I walked back into the club to be pulled aside again. “Sir, the lady outside is refusing to leave. How would you like me to proceed with this?”

“I’ll take care of it. The last thing we need is to be in the tabloids. Are the paparazzi still there?”

“No, sir, I believe John took care of them earlier. However with Mr. Comb’s leaving shortly they may return.”

I patted him on the shoulder and walked to the entrance.

“Lex, baby, please. It’s been an hour. Let me in,” Samantha whined.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her aside. “You need to stop causing a scene outside my club. I don’t know what has gotten into you but I am putting you in the next cab that drives past.”

“Why won’t you let me in? Please, just for old time’s sake? C’mon, angel.” She pulled me into her. I wasn’t prepared for her overbearing affection and then it was her use of the word angel that triggered an unwelcomed memory. What was it though? She laughed. “Look what the cat dragged back. Is she the reason why, Alex?”

I turned to see Charlotte standing at the entrance. Her eyes looked glassy but her facial expression was that of shock. Eric pulled her away from the scene but I saw her turn around one more time. I pushed Samantha away and ran to the cab Charlotte was getting into. Eric had placed her inside. She was leaning against the glass, facing the other way.

“Eric, please, it’s not what you think,” I said, panicked.

Eric poked his head into the cab and asked the cab driver to give him a second. “Look Lex, I don’t know what to think, but Charlie is pretty wasted right now so I doubt she’ll remember what she saw.”

“I need to talk to her. I need to explain,” I said desperately.

“She is my best friend and I don’t want to see her hurt. Just give her time. At least let her sleep this off.” He said goodbye, then got in the cab and they drove off.

Back at the hotel, I sat on the balcony, running my hands along the rim of my glass filled with scotch. My blackberry sat beside me, tormenting me as I so desperately wanted to call her. I wanted make sure she was OK, to explain what happened. As the sun began to rise, I realized it was morning and no good would come of calling her this early. My mind refused to shut down, my eyes betraying me when I attempted to close them, images of tonight teasing me. The look on her face as she moaned at my touch, the pure ecstasy that her body so obviously craved. In frustration I grabbed my cell, clutching onto it as if my life depended on it, but I stopped and placed it back down. I picked up the scotch and drank every last drop.

Angel. That word. Why was it bugging me so much?

Moments later I fell asleep, slumped in the chair. The night’s events became a hazy blur.

April 2005

I rang the doorbell, patiently waiting for Adriana or Charlotte to answer. With my hands in my pockets, I stood there rocking back and forth trying to mask the excitement I felt at seeing her again. I knew it was wrong, but I hadn’t done anything to be ashamed of – though I knew it was only a matter of time. I enjoyed her company. She made me laugh, made me forget the world existed for a few moments. She was uncomplicated. My vows were still intact. No, there was nothing to feel guilty about.